Dishrackwithswingingarm.

1、Dish rack with swinging armBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to dish racks and their accessories, and in particular, to adish rack having a multi-purpose swinging arm which can be manipulated to hold wineglasses and large utensils.2. Description of the

2、 Prior ArtDish racks are commonly used in dishwashers for organizing and positioning plates,bowls, cups and utensils for washing. Dish racks are also commonly used on kitchencountertops for positioning plates, bowls, cups and utensils to let them dry after theyhave been washed.SUMMARY OF THEDISCLOSU

3、REIt is an object of the present invention to provide a dish rack that has greater utility thanconventional dish racks.It is another object of the present invention to provide a dish rack that can effectivelyhold a variety of different objects.In order to accomplish the objects of the present invent

4、ion, the present inventionprovides a dish rack having a wire frame base, a horizontal wire segment coupled tothe wire frame base, and a swinging arm pivotably coupled to the horizontal wiresegment, the swinging arm having a plurality of holders and a lock mechanism thatremovably engages the swinging

5、 arm with a portion of the wire frame base.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dish rack according to one embodiment of the presentinvention shown with the swinging arm locked in the lowered position.FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the dish rack o

6、f FIG. 1 shown withthe swinging arm in the raised position.FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the dish rack of FIG. 1 shown withthe swinging arm locked in the lowered position.FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner of the dish rack of FIG. 1 shown withthe swinging arm

7、 unlocked in the lowered position.FIG. 5 is a front plan view of the dish rack of FIG. 1 shown with the swinging arm in theraised position.FIG. 6 is a front plan view of the dish rack of FIG. 1 shown with the swinging armunlocked in the lowered position.FIG. 7 is a front plan view of the dish rack o

8、f FIG. 1 shown with the swinging arm lockedin the lowered position.FIG. 8 is a front plan view of the dish rack of FIG. 1 shown with the swinging armsecured in the raised position.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENTSThe following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated

9、 modes ofcarrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but ismade merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of theinvention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.FIG. 1 illustrates a dish rack10 accord

10、ing to the present invention.The dish rack 10 can have the typical components of a conventional dish rack,including, but not limited to, a wire frame base12 forreceiving plates and large bowls, and a divider section along the wire frame base 12that has a plurality of divider walls14 forreceiving pla

11、tes. Two sets of horizontal side wire segments16 and 18form one of two opposing sides of the four-sided dish rack10, andtwo horizontal end wire segments 20 and 22 form the other two opposing sides of thefour-sided dish rack 10. Four legs 50, 52, 54 and 56 are provided, with each legextending vertica

12、lly from an end of each of the pairs of horizontal side wire segments16 and 18. A swinging arm 24 is pivotably coupled to the front end wire segment 22.Although FIG. 1 illustrates the swinging arm 24 being coupled to the wire segment 22,it is possible to couple the swinging arm 24 to any of the wire

13、 segments 16, 18, 20 and22, assuming that the wire frame base 12 is configured to facilitate the raising andlowering of the swinging arm 24.The swinging arm 24 and its operation are best illustrated inconn ecti on with FIGS. 27. The swinging arm 24 has a U-shapedconfiguration with a longitudinal wir

14、e portion26 that connects twoparallel side wire portions28 and 30. A sleeve 32 and 34 is providedat the end of each wire portion28 and 30, respectively, with thesleeves 32, 34 adapted to receive the end wire segment22 to form apivoting and sliding connection between the swinging arm24 and theend wir

15、e segment 22. A plurality of curved U-shaped holders36 extendfrom the longitudinal wire portion26, with a space 38 definedbetween adjacent holders36. A wine glass or other object can be slidinto each separate space38, so that the adjacent holders36 cansuspend or hold the wine glass or object. In add

16、ition, a first locking bulb 40 isconnected adjacent the sleeve 32 via a first shaft 44, and a second locking bulb 42 isconnected along the wire portion 28 via a second shaft 46. The second locking bulb 42is spaced apart from the first locking bulb40. Both locking bulbs 40, 42 extendawayfrom the inte

17、rior of the swinging arm24. While two locking bulbs 40,42 are illustrated herein, any number of locking bulbs (e.g., one, three or more) can beutilized as well.FIGS. 1, 3 and 7 illustrate the swinging arm24 in a locked lowerposition. In this position, each holder36 defines a convex holdingspace (see

18、 FIG. 1), and the plurality of holders36 define anelongated convex holding space that is adapted to hold large or long utensils (e.g., aknife, chopsticks, etc.). FIGS. 2 and 5 illustrate the swinging arm 24 in a raised position,where wine glasses can be held in the spaces 38 by the adjacent holders

19、36.When the swinging arm 24 is in the locked lower position, the locking bulbs 40, 42engage the leg 50 so as to prevent the swinging arm24from experiencing any pivoting motion. As best shown in FIGS. 1,3and 7, the swinging arm 24 is pivoted downwardly and inwardly (see the direction ofarrow A) about

20、 the pivot axis of the wire segment22so that the locking bulbs 40, 42 can be passed behind the leg 50, andextend outwardly on the outer side of the leg50 away from the centerof the dish rack10. The leg 50 blocks the shafts44 and 46, and thebulbous feature of the locking bulbs40, 42 act as an engagem

21、entmechanism to maintain the locking bulbs40, 42 on the outward side ofthe leg 50, and therefore maintain the swinging arm24 in the lockedposition.When the user desires to raise the swinging arm24, the user pivotsthe swinging arm 24 in the rearward direction (see arrow A), and then slides theswingin

22、g arm24 sideways away from the leg50 and towardsthe leg 52. See FIGS. 4 and 6. This sliding motion can be accomplished because thewire segment22 is slidably received insidethe sleeves 32 and 34. This sliding motion also causes the locking bulbs 40, 42 to beslid towards the center of the dish rack10,

23、 andinside the leg50. When the swinging arm 24 is in this position shownin FIGS. 4 and 6, the locking bulbs40, 42 are disengaged from theleg 50, so that the swinging arm24 can be freely pivoted about thewire segment 22. In the next step, the user pivots the swinging arm 24 upwardly in thedirection o

24、f the arrow B, and raises the swinging arm 24 until the swinging arm24reaches the raised position shown inFIGS. 2 and 5. At this point, the user slides the swinging arm24towards the leg 50 until the locking bulbs 40, 42 are again to the outside of the leg50, as shown in FIG. 8. In this secured raise

25、dposition, the shaft 46 abuts the leg 50 to prevent the swinging arm 24 from pivotingback downwards in the direction of arrow A.To place the swinging arm24 back in the locked lower position, theuser slides the swinging arm 24 away from the leg 50 and towards the leg 52, and thenpivots the swinging arm 24 d